How to survive the protein deficit in Thailand – Thai dishes with the most proteins

Thai dishes with the most proteins

For all of us living in Thailand for longer periods, eating enough protein without exceeding in calories and all sort of trans saturated fats can be challenging. Street food is available everywhere and at cheap prices, but most of the times it is full of oil, sugars and processed carbs that are fattening and almost useless from a nutritional point of view.

However, there are also some valid alternatives in the Thai cuisine that can be considered healthier and protein rich.

Here’s the list:

1. Gai Yaang ไก่ย่าง: The undisputed king of Isaan cuisine: grilled chicken. Better if in the form of chicken breast เต้านมไก่ย่าง, you can find it almost everywhere and at almost every Isaan street stall, even though usually Thais eat it in the morning. You can ask for ข้าวเหนียว kaow niaw, sticky rice, that fits perfectly with the chicken and make it a very balanced meal with good carbs and high protein. They usually drumstick + thigh, half a chicken, or just the whole chicken breast.

2. MooKrata หมูกระทะ A solid second place is held by the infamous Thai Barbeque, often coming in the All You Can Eat mode, so pay attention not to overeat. They usually offer beef, pork, chicken and seafood that you will need to barbeque yourself. Prices start from 150 thb all the way up, depending on the place and the poultry and fish offered. The only problem here is not to put too many unhealthy sauces on the food and not to eat all the fried and greasy side dishes and dessert that come included in the price. The biggest amount of proteins you can get, that’s for sure. We suggest going for Thai Barbeque after a long, intense training.

Thai Barbeque, or MooKrata หมูกระทะ, often comes in the All You Can Eat mode

3. Blaa kapong nung manao ปลากะพงนึ่งมะนาว: A healthy, not too greasy, filling Steamed fish with Lime and Garlic. For this, you’ll need to go to a proper restaurant, as street stall usually don’t have it. The price is around 350thb or more depending on the kind of fish and the level of the restaurant. Delicious!

4. MoFai หม้อไฟ If you like soups, you are lucky because the Thai Hot Pot is one of the dishes richest in protein in Thai cuisine. Similarly to the Thai Barbeque, you can order the kind of meat and fish that you want with the soup. Prices are similar too. Remember not to drink too much broth, as is going to carry all the fat from meat and fish that melt as you cook them.

5. GaiSatay ไก่สะเต๊ะ One of the cheapest and colorful chicken dishes is the Chicken satay with peanut sauce and served with a refreshing cucumber and onion salad. The chicken is first marinated in coconut milk and curry powder and then grilled. The sauce made with peanuts is really good, but don’t abuse of it as it is very caloric. You can find the Chicken Satay in street stalls as well as in restaurants and it’s usually very cheap (10-20thb per meat stick). Are you hungry yet?!

Chicken satay with peanut sauce and served with a refreshing cucumber and onion salad ไก่สะเต๊ะ

That’s it for now, we’ll continue in the next post with our bits of advice on nutrition for active people. Bodybuilding in Thailand is possible even without spending an excessive amount of money with our suggestion and that’s why we developed the most convenient protein bars to help you achieving your fitness goals.